A simple search over the internet about who invented the potato clock will see answers such as William A. Borst, who discovered back in 1983. It revolves around many websites the story behind the potato clock invention where Borst was at the verge of assisting his stepdaughter in a science project. During his help to create something novel, he remembered his experience of using potatoes to replace the battery as power sources. That was an experiment he did in his high school days hence he integrated his idea into creating the system. Since then, other students have applied similar theory.
Nevertheless, this story that supports the development of potato clock was doubted by several parties because they claimed that no evidential proofs were presented to justify this history. The internet sites who provided the information did not offer references of validation as well. Therefore, it is deemed that no relevant data regarding the history and origin of clock. The sites which repeatedly support Borst can never be used as pedagogic information for those who intend to scrutinize the truth behind the invention.
In fact, even in the United States Government online patent database, it has not been stated William A. Borst as the man who invented the potato clock. Since the information available in the internet cannot be used as scholastic references, no verbatim details could verify the rumors. Google’s patent database also contains no information or linkage between William A. Borst and potato clock. Researchers have even attempted to gather information from other scientific databases but all to no avail.
So it has become a mystery about the development of potato clock. While the story of William A. Borst stands a probability of being true, no relevant information is there to justify this statement hence the lack of validity. And if William A. Borst learned the experiment during his childhood, very likely there was somebody who taught him who should be the original inventor. Furthermore, electrochemical properties have been lingering in the world of science as early as the 18th century. Potatoes and lemons being used to substitute batteries have become a common experiment, without a precise original inventor.